Kirby had been replaying the white light from yesterday's dusk over and over in his mind. That moment when Dedede Daiou was mid-bite of his pie. The sphere floating outside the window, blindingly bright like the sun itself. And the thunderous boom that echoed through the castle——. Kirby still didn't know where it had gone. Wednesday afternoons in Dream Land were usually warm and pleasant. The time when Waddle Dees lounged around in Lunch Square. But not today. "[angry]What in blazes is that thing?!!" Dedede Daiou marched down the castle corridor. His red gown billowed behind him, a massive wooden mallet shouldered, nostrils flaring as he headed toward the window. His blue penguin-like body, barely 130 centimeters tall, somehow looked bigger today. Kirby jogged up beside him. "[surprised]I saw it too! That thing from yesterday evening!" "[angry]Not yesterday! Now! Right now!!" The king pointed out the window. Kirby pressed his face against the glass and looked south. Green Greens——the grassland south of Dedede Castle——held a white sphere of light floating slowly in the middle. It looked slightly larger than yesterday's. But what caught the eye more was what was happening around it. The green grass was turning gray. Steadily. Relentlessly. Something invisible spread from the light sphere, and wherever it touched, the green drained away. Apple tree leaves fell one by one, colorless, fluttering down. Colorful flowers blooming in the meadow turned gray with soft pops, soundlessly. It was like someone was taking away the world's colored pencils, one by one. "[scared]Ah……the apple trees……!" Those trees near Kirby's home. The three familiar ones he picked apples from every morning. Watching their leaves turn gray, Kirby felt something tighten deep in his stomach. Dedede Daiou gripped his mallet with both hands as he surveyed the castle grounds. "[serious]My watermelon patch……" Behind the castle——the watermelon patch was on the north side. For now, the sphere was still in Green Greens. The king confirmed this and let his shoulders drop just slightly, but immediately tensed again. "[angry]Let's go!!" --- When they reached Green Greens, Waddle Dees came running and screaming. Five, six, seven of them rushed past Kirby's feet. A Waddle Dee in an apron, one carrying a spear, one clutching a morning snack——all tumbling away in panic. "The ball's floating in the air!!" "The glowing thing's turning all the grass gray!!" "Scary scary scary!!" Their voices collided as they disappeared toward the castle. Kirby and Dedede Daiou walked toward the sphere. As they drew closer, its size became clear. About three meters in diameter. Pure white light wavered across its surface, but what lay inside——if anything——remained invisible from outside. No sound. But the air felt subtly charged, prickling. Kirby stopped. （This is……the same as yesterday's burn mark） In the middle of the grassland. The sphere floated directly above the spot where Kirby had found that circular scorch mark yesterday. It came from here, Kirby thought. Dedede Daiou raised his mallet. "[angry]Heave! Get outta here!!" The mallet came down and struck the sphere——and instantly, a metallic CLANG rang out. The mallet bounced back. The king staggered, his red hat spinning. "[angry]What the——it won't budge at all!!" "[serious]Let me try" Kirby ran toward the sphere. He set his direction and opened his mouth wide. The sensation of drawing air deep into his lungs——that was Kirby's signature move. A basic ability stronger than any vacuum cleaner, capable of inhaling anything within three meters ahead. Power gathered. But the sphere didn't yield. It glowed white, pushing outward against Kirby's suction force. The two forces collided in midair, and Kirby's feet slid across the grass. "[angry]I'll push!!" Dedede Daiou placed his hands on Kirby's back and threw his full weight forward. Kirby braced. The king pushed. Together they groaned——uuuhhh——. The sphere wavered slightly——or seemed to. "[excited]W-we're doing it!!" That was the moment. BANG!!! A shockwave exploded from the sphere. Kirby flew backward instantly, tumbling across the grass. Dedede Daiou staggered from the impact and fell hard on his rear. His red hat soared through the air and landed askew on his head. Kirby lay spread-eagle on the ground, staring up at the sky. "[sad]Ow……" Dedede Daiou got up and straightened his hat. Mud clung to his gown's hem. He scowled at it, then scowled harder at the sphere. The grass that had been green——past where Kirby had tumbled——had all turned gray. A wider area had lost its color now. Something other than anger seeped into Dedede Daiou's expression. Then. A shadow fell across the grassland. A blue cape fluttered. --- Kirby pushed himself up and looked ahead. A stranger stood there. ——Or seemed to be a stranger, but Kirby immediately sensed: "This is someone incredible." About Kirby's size, twenty centimeters or so. But that figure in the blue cape and mask stood rigid, perfectly straight, every movement of the wind-swept cape economical and precise. Gold eyes gleamed behind the mask. And in the right hand——a golden sword wreathed in orange aura from its blade——Galaxia. Dedede Daiou's voice rang out. "[surprised]Who in blazes is that?!" The masked swordsman didn't turn to the king. Eyes fixed on the sphere, he spoke quietly. "[serious]That light is a foreign object from outside Pop Star. Attempting to inhale it by force will be futile" Kirby was startled. The voice was calm, as if this person understood everything about the situation. "[gentle]You……know something?" "[serious]Details remain unclear. But a direct assault will only result in being repelled" With that, the masked swordsman raised Galaxia and charged toward the sphere. Fast. Incredibly fast. Kirby blinked and the distance closed. Galaxia swung up in a wide arc. CLANG!!! The blade touched the sphere's surface——and light exploded. Particles scattered, illuminating the grassland. Galaxia was knocked back hard, the masked swordsman dragged backward. His feet carved through the grass. Slowly, he came to a stop. The masked swordsman was on one knee. "[scared]A-are you okay?!" Kirby rushed over. The masked swordsman slowly stood, adjusted his cape with a sharp motion, and turned his gaze back to the sphere. "[serious]……Harder than anticipated" For just a moment, he swayed. In that instant, the swordsman's hand touched Kirby's shoulder. Then it was gone. Kirby felt something stir inside him. Despite that cool, perfect flight——this person was actually taking damage. Somehow, that made him feel closer to them. Different from the king, but close. Dedede Daiou had been watching the scene. Arms crossed, looking at the sphere, then at the two of them. "[serious]……Small as you are, both of you are impressive" He paused, looking startled. He cleared his throat. "[cold]Ahem! A-anyway! Someone do something about that blasted light ball!!" --- At that moment, the sphere pulsed. Doku…… All three turned to look. The sphere was expanding. Slowly, but unmistakably, its diameter grew larger. The affected area spreading from it began to stretch beyond Green Greens, toward the hill where Dedede Castle stood. Dedede Daiou's gown pocket twitched. The king reached into his pocket. "Hm?" Watermelon seeds should have been there——a remnant from yesterday. But when he reached in, the seeds seemed to slip away from his fingers, and when he pulled his hand out, there was nothing. "[surprised]……Huh?" Voices came from inside the castle. "T-the food storage——!!" "The watermelons are gone!!" "The Maxim Tomatoes too!!!" Dedede Daiou's face turned pale. The king bolted toward the castle at full speed. Kirby and Metanaito followed inside. In front of the food storage, Waddle Dees ran frantically from shelf to shelf. Watermelons that should have been lined up on the shelves——one by one, two by two——dissolved into the air like mist. A Waddle Dee reached out to grab one from a shelf, and it vanished the instant his hand touched it. The Waddle Dee stared at his empty hands and slowly sank to the floor. Dedede Daiou surveyed the storage. Shelves where watermelons had been. Shelves where Maxim Tomatoes had been. "[crying]My watermelons——!! My Maxim Tomatoes——!!" The king raised his mallet toward the ceiling and fell to his knees. Behind him, Waddle Dees one by one stared at their empty hands and sat down. Kirby watched the scene. （All that food……gone……） Yesterday's storage. That night when Comrade and Maxim Tomato bread were baked. Food was disappearing from the place where food had been. Kirby's stomach growled. Loudly. Kirby quickly pressed both hands to his belly. --- Outside the castle, Metanaito quietly observed the sphere's movements. "The energy output is increasing. If we do not act soon……" Kirby stood beside him. His stomach growled again. Guuuu. The fruit in Green Greens, the food in the grassland——all turned gray by the sphere. The watermelons and Maxim Tomatoes in the castle storage——all gone. All the food around Kirby had vanished. Kirby opened his mouth. He tried to use his Copy ability. If he could inhale an enemy's power——. But his stomach was empty. When he tried to inhale, the power scattered. Something he could normally do without thinking——today it felt hollow, weak, like it wouldn't gather at all. "[sad]……I can't muster the strength" The moment he said it aloud, he was surprised at himself. It felt different from usual. He'd been hungry plenty of times before. But not like this. He wanted to fight, but his body wouldn't move. He wanted to use his power, but couldn't. This sensation was new. It was frightening. Metanaito looked at Kirby. "[serious]Hunger. That is……troublesome" Not accusatory. More like he was accepting it as a fact of the situation. Kirby nodded. "[sad]I tried to use my Copy ability, but I'm empty inside……I couldn't inhale anything" Metanaito fell silent for a moment. Then he crouched beside Kirby and began speaking quietly, eyes still on the sphere. "[serious]Once, I faced an unknown threat like this" Kirby looked up at the swordsman's profile. Behind the mask, gold eyes watching the sphere seemed to darken slightly. "[serious]At that time, I lost many comrades who charged in with only strength" Just one sentence. Nothing more. But from that single line, Kirby sensed something. This person knew many things, had experienced many things, and yet still stood here before the sphere. Metanaito stood up quickly and corrected himself. "[serious]So do not act on emotion alone. First, you must understand your enemy" Kirby watched his back. Scary, but absolutely reliable——somehow he felt that. Then. "[angry]Kirby!! Do something!!" Dedede Daiou was shouting from the castle entrance, both hands pressed against the doors. The empty food storage behind him, he hid his near-tears behind an angry face. Metanaito didn't turn around. "[serious]The king's voice is too loud. Are you trying to reveal our position to the enemy?" Kirby laughed a little awkwardly as he answered. "[gentle]But the king's always like this" Metanaito let out a small breath. "……I see" Just three words, but there was a strange pause——exasperation mixed with reluctant acceptance. The sphere pulsed again. Doku. The affected area expanded further. All three watched. Kirby watched with his empty stomach pressed against his body. Dedede Daiou watched with his hands on the storage doors. Metanaito watched in silence. Attacks didn't work. Food was gone. Power wouldn't come. ——Where was this light sphere's weakness? The gray spread slowly, creeping toward the castle hill.